Recipes    

Turkish cuisine provides healthy, hearty, delicious food for family and friends.
Find out more

Cookery Classes

I teach Turkish cooking classes in England,Turkey & USA, hope you can join us!,
Find Out More

Baked Zucchini (courgette) halves with vegetables and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -Nohutlu Kabak Dolmasi

I previously made the delicious stuffed zucchini halves with ground meat, vegetables and chickpeas or garbanzo beans, inspired by my home town, Antioch’s (Antakya) cuisine. I was asked for a vegetarian version of this dish during my Turkish cookery class past Saturday and there came this delicious dish. The meaty mushrooms, onions, peppers made a scrumptious filling and worked so well with chickpeas. With a touch of heat by the Turkish hot pepper paste, biber salcasi & Turkish red pepper flakes and the refreshing dried mint, we had an at least equally delicious vegetarian stuffed zucchini that we all very much enjoyed.

Stuffed zucchini with onions, mushrooms, pepper and chickpeas, in tomato sauce

Stuffed zucchini with onions, mushrooms, pepper and chickpeas, in tomato sauce

I also used a little pomegranate molasses, nar eksisi, to add a delicious sweet & sour taste to the zucchini halves. Pomegranate molasses is used a lot especially in Southern Turkish cuisine in salad dressings like in this Gavurdagi Salad of tomatoes, onions and walnuts or in bulgur wheat salad, kisir; a little bit of it adds a great punch.

You can prepare this healthy dish ahead of time and the leftovers freeze beautifully. Please save the flesh of the zucchini or courgettes that you scooped out. They are delicious & wholesome cooked with onions, tomatoes & dried mint in this bulgur pilaf .

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 20 minutes                                                Cooking time: 50-55 minutes

3 chunky zucchini/courgette

200gr/7oz chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped

200gr/7oz (1/2 can of) chopped tomatoes

200gr/7oz (1/2 can of) cooked chickpeas, rinsed

15ml/1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, nar eksisi (optional)

30ml/2tablespoons olive oil

240ml/8fl oz./ 1cup water

15ml/1 tbsp. tomato paste

5 ml / 1 tsp. Turkish red pepper paste – optional-

10ml/2 tsp. dried mint

5ml/1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

To serve:

120ml/8fl oz. plain yoghurt

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4

carefully scoop out some of the flesh to create a cavity that is large enough to stuff

Carefully scoop out some of the flesh to create a cavity that is large enough to stuff

Cut the zucchini in half and then in lengthways. Using a dessert spoon, carefully scoop out some of the flesh to create a cavity that is large enough to stuff the filling (Please save the flesh of the zucchini that you scooped out. They are delicious cooked in bulgur pilaf). Mix 2 tbsp. water with the pomegranate molasses (if using) and wash the inside of the courgettes with this mixture; this adds a delicious sweet & sour taste to the zucchini.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) combined with vegetables make a delicious filling

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) combined with vegetables make a delicious filling

Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until light golden. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper and hot pepper paste (if using). Season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the cooked chickpeas, mix well. Add the red pepper flakes and the dried mint, combine well. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat off; the filling is ready.

Take a spoonful of the filling and stuff the zucchini halves.

Take a spoonful of the filling and stuff the zucchini halves.

Grease a baking tray with 1 tbsp. olive oil and place the scooped zucchini. Take a spoonful of the filling and stuff the zucchini halves, taking care not to over fill them. Dilute the tomato paste with the water and pour on the tray. Cover and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. After this, uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes for a lightly brown finish.

While the zucchini halves are baking, prepare your garlic yoghurt. In a bowl, mix the plain yoghurt with the chopped garlic. Serve the stuffed zucchini hot, with the garlic yoghurt by the side. You can make this wonderful bulgur pilaf using the flesh of the zucchini we scooped out; they complement each very nicely and you get a complete meal.

Baked zucchini halves with vegetables & chickpeas; great with garlic yoghurt aside

Baked zucchini halves with vegetables & chickpeas; great with garlic yoghurt aside

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Istanbul is Calling!

Turkish tea, Cay, Simit and Istanbul's Bosphorus; a heavenly combination

Turkish tea, Cay, Simit and Istanbul’s Bosphorus; a heavenly combination

Indeed Istanbul is calling and I can hardly wait! I will be in Istanbul next week, the city that makes my heart beats fast, a feast to all senses. Greatly looking forward to seeing family, friends and feeling the beat of this fascinating city.

The very atmospheric Spice Market, Misir Carsisi, Istanbul - feast to all senses

The very atmospheric Spice Market, Misir Carsisi, Istanbul – feast to all senses

I also very much look forward to sharing delicious Turkish cuisine with food lovers at my Turkish cookery class on Wednesday, 19th February at the Istanbul Culinary Institute. I will be in touch soon with delicious memories from home!

With my best wishes, Selamlar,

Ozlem

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

20 Responses to Baked Zucchini (courgette) halves with vegetables and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -Nohutlu Kabak Dolmasi

  1. Sue/the view from great island February 10, 2014 at 3:48 pm #

    This looks amazing, and I love pomegranate molasses!

    • Ozlem Warren February 10, 2014 at 8:32 pm #

      Thank you for stopping by; I love pomegranate molasses too; it adds a delicious, tangy flavor to the zucchini!

  2. jaz February 10, 2014 at 5:06 pm #

    these just look scrumptious!

    • Ozlem Warren February 10, 2014 at 8:33 pm #

      Thanks Jaz, it is an easy, delicious meal and the scooped zucchini flesh is delicious in the bulgur pilaf!

  3. seniordogsabroad February 11, 2014 at 4:53 am #

    [Marked as spam by Antispam Bee | Spam reason: Server IP]
    Özlem, Thanks for the lovely recipe. I confess that I don’t have one for stuffed zucchini so we’ll definitely try it, although I may opt for the meat version which I checked out. We’re looking forward to seeing you in Istanbul next week. Iyi yolculuklar.

    • Ozlem Warren February 11, 2014 at 10:57 am #

      Merhaba SD; we really enjoy the meat version with chickpeas too – you can prep ahead of time and freezes well, hope you enjoy it. I so greatly look forward to seeing you in Istanbul- will be in touch! Cok selamlar, Ozlem

  4. Peri February 11, 2014 at 6:05 am #

    The chickpeas look sooo good, Ozlem:) the molasses give great depth of flavor…I’m sure the Istanbul class will be such fun…waiting to hear more. XxPeri.

    • Ozlem Warren February 11, 2014 at 10:55 am #

      Cheers Peri; I love how a bit of pomegranate molasses transforms the humble zucchini, adds a ton of flavor – glad you enjoyed it. You’ll be with us in spirit in Istanbul! xx

  5. Mary February 11, 2014 at 10:18 am #

    Yummy yummy!!

    • Ozlem Warren February 11, 2014 at 10:53 am #

      Thanks to you dear Mary, we now have this new recipe! So glad you enjoyed it : ) xx

  6. BacktoBodrum February 11, 2014 at 11:13 am #

    [Marked as spam by Antispam Bee | Spam reason: Server IP]
    I’ve used lentils as a veggie option but wouldn’t have thought of chickpeas – thanks for the great idea.

    • Ozlem Warren February 11, 2014 at 5:15 pm #

      Lentils are a brilliant idea, thanks for this too: ) hope you enjoy it, selamlar, Ozlem

  7. Christina February 13, 2014 at 2:53 pm #

    I’ve never had stuff zucchini with chickpeas. I’ll definitely try this version soon!

    I can’t wait for winter to be over and for fresh zucchini and other vegetables to be available!

    • Ozlem Warren February 14, 2014 at 1:54 pm #

      Hi Christina, thanks for stopping by; chickpeas work well here, and spices transform the taste of zucchini, hope you enjoy it!

  8. Francesca February 14, 2014 at 10:59 am #

    I don’t know anything about Turkish cuisine. This recipe sounds delicious though. I’ll have a look through the Others. I don’t find GFC or Bloglovin so I’ll follow you on Twitter.

    • Ozlem Warren February 14, 2014 at 1:55 pm #

      Hope you enjoy the recipe Francesca and others here; Turkish cuisine is wholesome, delicious and easy to make – many thanks for stopping by!

  9. April Ozbilgin March 24, 2014 at 2:01 pm #

    Ozlem love the new look of your blog!! I will make this recipe for my daughter. She eats meat but she says she feels bad about the animals so I am always looking for exciting recipes to try for her. This looks fabulous!

    • Ozlem Warren March 24, 2014 at 9:07 pm #

      Thank you so much April, very kind of you : ) Hope your daughter enjoys this recipe, the tangy pomegranate molasses work so well with chickpeas, zucchini and courgettes – afiyet olsun : ) Cok selam, Ozlem

  10. Ozlem Warren February 10, 2014 at 8:33 pm #

    thanks for the link!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Baked Zucchini (courgette) halves with vegetables and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -Nohutlu Kabak Dolmasi | Ad Free Stuff - February 10, 2014

    […] Recette de Garbanzo Bean par Ozlem’s Turkish Table : I previously made the delicious stuffed zucchini halves with ground meat, …read more […]

Leave a Reply to jaz Click here to cancel reply.